Una of Redmond
by Una Meredith
Summary: Una Meredith adjusts to life after the War as she begins her course in Household Science at Redmond College.
1. Default Chapter

Una of Redmond Chapter One : Carl Brings Surprising News 

_16th June 1919_

_Glen St. Mary Manse_

It was late afternoon in the Glen, a deliciously warm afternoon in which the air was filled with the fragrance of late spring. Days like this had ended with evening revels in Rainbow Valley in those carefree days before the War.

Una Meredith was curled up on her bed, her journal open in her lap, but she had finished writing half an hour before and then drifted into daydreams. She could almost believe that after supper she and Faith and the boys would scamper off to Rainbow Valley to join the Blythes. Jem and Jerry would fish, Carl would chase fireflies, and she and Faith and Nan and Di would weave daisy chains while listening to Walter read from his book of myths or poetry. _Walter_… She sighed and closed her journal and glanced over at the clock on the table beside her bed. Four o'clock. It would soon be time to go downstairs and help Rosemary prepare supper. Supper preparations took more time now that Carl and Jerry were back home. Usually she enjoyed helping with supper, but somehow today she only felt like being alone with her thoughts, away from the chatter of her brothers and the concerned gazes of her father and stepmother. She knew they were all worried about her. They kept trying to get her to tell them what was bothering her, but of course, she couldn't. Carl was trying especially hard, and he seemed hurt that she wouldn't confide in him, her old confidante. Jerry was convinced that she was nervous about going to Redmond in the fall, and she was, but her nervousness was only a small part of her distress.

She opened her top bureau drawer and pulled out the last letter that Walter had written, the one that Rilla had so generously given her. Her heart still gave a painful bound at the sight of the upright handwriting that she knew so well. She stroked it gently and reverently and then pressed it against her heart. She had memorized every word of it, especially the last few lines. _"…you two dear, fine loyal girls. Tomorrow, when we go over the top, I'll think of you both...of your laughter, Rilla-my-Rilla, and the **steadfastness** in Una's blue eyes...somehow I see those eyes very plainly tonight, too. Yes, you'll both keep faith...I'm sure of that...you and Una."_ Her eyes burned as she tried to fight back the tears that threatened to spill out of them. She couldn't cry now, or her family would know that she had been crying.

She wondered again for what seemed to be the thousandth time if Walter could have possibly cared for her as more than just a friend. _Those last few lines…maybe he did feel something…_ But she knew she would never know for sure, and she thought it might be better that way.

She had been haunted by the thoughts of what Walter's last moments must have been like ever since she had heard the news of his death, but when the other boys started returning to the Glen, those tormenting thoughts had taken on an even greater intensity. She knew his commanding officer had written that he had died instantly, but sometimes she wondered if he had just written that to the Blythes to try to bring them what little comfort he could offer. _Does anyone really die instantly?_ she wondered. It also hurt her horribly to know that Walter, who had loved beauty so, had died in such filth and squalor among horrible sights.

With another sigh, she placed Walter's letter back in the drawer and looked into the little mirror that hung on the wall. She tidied her hair and made sure that her eyes were not red. She pinched her cheeks, hoping to bring a little color into them. She knew she was not exactly pretty, but she wanted to do all that she could to look her best, even when she was only going down to help with supper.

Suddenly she heard someone rushing up the stairs, evidently taking them two at a time. The sound stopped at her door, and the someone knocked. "Una, may I come in?" It was Carl.

"Of course," she replied.

He opened the door and walked in. Una stared at him in surprise. His face was flushed and streaked with sweat, he was gasping for breath, and his hair and clothes were disheveled, but his good eye was sparkling with excitement.

"Carl………"

"I just came from Ingleside," he gasped out, still breathless. "I went over to see Jem and Rilla, and while I was there, some news came……"

"Not _Shirley_!" Una broke in, the familiar knot of dread tightening in her stomach.

"No, it's not about Shirley, and it's not bad news," he said, when he had recovered his breath. "I think you'd better sit down before I tell you, though."

"I thought you said it isn't bad news," said Una, as they both sat down on her bed.

"It isn't. It's just that it's surprising, that's all."

"Carl, _please _tell me now." Una was rarely impatient, but the suspense was almost more than she could bear.

"All right. While I was at Ingleside, Dr. Blythe came in with a letter from the Red Cross. He and Mrs. Blythe went into his office to read it, and when they came back into the living-room, they told us that the letter had informed them that Walter is alive and had been reported dead as the result of some terrible mistake."

For a moment, Una felt as though the room was spinning around her. Then she just felt numb. _If this weren't so serious, I'd think it was just another one of Carl's jokes_, she thought.

"Una?" Carl's voice cut through her confused thoughts. "Una, are you all right? I know this is quite a shock. It was for everyone. Mrs. Blythe looked ready to faint when she walked in the living-room."

"Carl, how can this be possible?" she asked, when the power of speech had returned.

"Apparently there was another Walter Blythe, who actually _was_ killed at Courcelette, and he was confused with _our_ Walter Blythe, who was somehow wrongly listed as having died of wounds he received at Courcelette. Walter was really sent to a hospital in Paris for treatment for a chest wound, but on the way there was some sort of accident that left him with a severe head injury. He had amnesia for a few weeks and he couldn't speak clearly or write or walk for six months following the accident. Somehow his identification had been lost, so no one at the hospital had any idea of who he was. When he could speak, he told them who he was, but since the only two Walter Blythes that they could find records for were listed as dead, they didn't believe him and thought he was confused because of his head injury. Dr. Blythe read between the lines and figured they didn't allow him to write home. Several weeks ago a man from Walter's regiment was brought into the same hospital, and he recognized Walter and together they convinced the doctors that he was who he said he was, and they got things straightened out. I'm sure Walter will give us the rest of the details when he comes home."

"And-and when is he coming home?" Una heard herself ask. Carl's explanation of what had happened to Walter sounded so incredibleshe still wasn't sure if she should quite believe it was true.

"They aren't exactly sure, but think he should be here by sometime in July. I suppose he'll want to go back to Redmond in the fall with the rest of us. This is just the best news ever, isn't it, Una? Walter was always such a swell chap."

Una didn't say anything.

"Well, if you're all right, I should go downstairs and tell the others," said Carl, standing up. "I ran straight up here to tell you first since you and I have always told each other everything, or almost everythingor at least we used to." He bent and kissed her cheek and walked out.


	2. Dinner at Ingleside

**Chapter Two: Dinner at Ingleside**

_30th July 1919_

Una stood just inside her closet, looking critically at the dresses that hung before her. She had had most of them for a good three years, since she had tried to avoid making new ones during the War, and because she had to have a new wardrobe for Redmond, she had made only two new dresses for the spring. But she wanted something especially nice to wear to the dinner party that Mrs. Blythe was giving at Ingleside in honour of her sons' homecoming and Rilla's twentieth birthday. After a full ten minutes, she decided on the new dark blue one that she saved for visiting. Rosemary had told her that it brought out her eyes and hair. _And Walter hasn't seen it yet,_ she thought, and then blushed. She mustn't expect him to notice her.

Walter had returned to the Glen four weeks after Carl had brought Una the news that he was alive. She had gone to Ingleside with the rest of her family to see him two days after his return. He had shaken her hand warmly and told her that it was wonderful to see her again, but he had seemed distant from everyone and she had seen a look in his eyes that hurt her. That look had grown even more intense as he explained as best he could what had happened to him at Courcelette and afterwards. He remembered discovering that he had been hit in the chest by a bullet and then trying to get out of the way of his advancing comrades. He believed he must have lost consciousness a while later and he really had no memory of being taken off the field or of being taken to the casualty clearing station or the field hospital. His next clear memories were of the hospital in France, and he really didn't have many more details than the ones Carl had first given to Una. He had been told that his head injury was a result of the ambulance driver losing control on a rainy night and crashing into a tree, and in addition to his head injury, he had suffered a broken arm and leg, and several cracked ribs. Once he was strong enough, his doctors sent him to a hospital in England, and from there they sent him to a convalescent hospital where he had been deemed unfit for further military service due to the effects of his head injury. His doctors had not allowed him to write home because they did not want him to upset the Blythe family.

After his comrade had helped him convince his doctors that he really _was _Walter Blythe, Red Cross officials had investigated and told him that they thought he had been mistaken for dead at the field hospital. Someone had obviously later discovered that he was alive, and had evidently had him sent on to Paris without correcting the records. The officials also thought that his identity discs must have been lost somewhere between the field hospital and the accident scene. They still weren't sure how he had been confused with the other Walter Blythe, but thought that maybe the service numbers had been mixed up.

Walter's doctors had told him that they didn't think his head injury had done any permanent damage, and that as far as they were concerned, he had made a full recovery.

After that afternoon at Ingleside, Una had only seen Walter briefly at church on Sundays and Wednesday nights, where he had seemed extremely uncomfortable under the stares of curious people.

Una dressed and surveyed the result in her mirror. The dark blue of the dress did indeed bring out the blue of her eyes and compliment her black hair as Rosemary had said it did. She sat down at her dressing table to experiment with different ways of doing her hair. When she was satisfied, she went downstairs to wait for the rest of her family.

At Ingleside, the Merediths found everyone in the big living room except for Susan, Mrs. Blythe, Nan, and Di, who were preparing the large meal. Una allowed Rilla to take her belongings and then she found a chair beside Jem. A quick glance around the room had revealed that Walter was tucked away in a back corner, staring straight ahead, but not appearing to see anyone or anything.

Jem turned to her and smiled. "You look nice, Una. That dress matches your eyes."

"Thank you. You're looking well, yourself, Jem. Faith will be pleased when she returns in September. She's been anxious about your health, you know."

Jem sighed. "Yes, I know she's worried about me, but I'm quite fine now. I'm not the one to be concerned about." He glanced over at the corner where Walter was sitting.

Una was trying to think of something to say when Mrs. Blythe came in and announced that dinner was ready and everyone headed for the dining room.

She found herself sitting down between Di and Jem and across from Rilla. Walter sat down on the other side of Jem and across from Jerry.

After Mr. Meredith returned thanks, the conversation drifted from one commonplace topic to another. Walter spoke only when spoken to, and Una thought that was a bad sign.

Susan had just brought out the Queen Pudding for dessert when Jerry asked Walter if he had decided whether or not he was going to return to Redmond in September with the rest of them.

Walter looked down at his pudding and took a deep breath before looking up at Jerry. "Yes, I'm going back in September," he said. "All my doctors tell me I'm healthy now, and I have to start making up for lost time."

"I'm glad to hear it," replied Jerry, smiling at his old friend.

Una happened to glance over at Dr. and Mrs. Blythe and she thought she detected looks of deep concern on their faces. _Perhaps they're just being overly cautious,_ she thought.

Everyone gathered in the living room again after supper, and separate conversations started up quickly. Nan, Di, and Rilla were all keenly interested in Una's intention to study Household Science at Redmond, and they peppered her with questions.

"I'm so glad that you're going to Redmond, Una," said Nan. "And I know you'll keep an eye on the boys." She cast a significant look in Jerry's direction.

"Nan, we're grown men," protested Jem, "we can look after ourselves."

Nan didn't seem convinced, but she said no more about it. Di's eyes wandered over toward Walter's direction, and Una wondered if she was thinking that he needed someone to look after him most of all.

The conversations drifted from topic to topic, with everyone carefully avoiding the subject of the war. Una took little part in them; her head had begun to ache, and finally she excused herself and went out onto the verandah for some fresh air. She sat down and looked out into the night. The stars were out and she could see the moon hanging over Rainbow Valley. All was quiet except for the occasional bursts of laughter she could hear behind her in the house. She closed her eyes and let her mind wander. She was so absorbed in her thoughts that she didn't hear the door open or the footsteps behind her.

"Una, do you mind if I join you out here?" said Walter.

Una jumped and turned to face him, feeling color rising to her cheeks. She hoped he would not notice. "Oh, Walter, you startled me. I didn't hear you come out."

"I'm sorry," he said. She could tell that his grey eyes looked sad even in the moonlight. "I assumed that you had heard me come out."

"I don't mind company at all," she said. "I had to get away from all the noise, though, because it was making my head ache."

He sat down beside her. "I know what you mean."

Neither of them said anything more for several minutes, but Una was pleasantly surprised to find that the silence wasn't awkward. Somehow she sensed that Walter didn't expect her to talk, but then he knew that she was a quiet person by nature.

"I'm glad to hear that you're starting to Redmond this fall," Walter said suddenly.

"I hope I'll like it," she replied.

"I hope you will, too," he said, "and I hope I enjoy my second year more than I did my first year. One thing I have to do is to prove to father and mother that I really am fit enough to return to college so soon."

"So they don't want you to go back this fall?"

"No. They want me to wait another year, but I can't, Una. I've lost too many years of my life already. Besides, what would I do around here? I'd probably go out of my mind. I'd have too much time to think about, well, to think about things I have to try to forget."

"I understand," she said softly, but then she wanted to kick herself for saying it, because she knew she couldn't possibly understand what all he had suffered and was still suffering even now. She could only imagine.

He fell silent again, and Una's thoughts went spinning once more. In a way it seemed strange to be sitting and talking with Walter, as if no one had ever thought he was dead. Some days Una woke up and wondered if maybe she had just dreamed that he had been reported dead, and others she wondered if she had only dreamed that he was alive. She supposed that the same thing probably happened with the Blythes. _And how strange things must be for Walter_, she thought.


	3. A Wedding

**Chapter Three: A Wedding**

August slipped away more quickly than Una would have liked, bringing her ever closer to the day of her departure for Redmond. Her uneasiness about going to college had seemed to grow stronger since they had found out about Walter, and she thought that this was because leaving home was now the most unsettling thought that she had. She was a bit ashamed of her trepidation, but she had never before been away from home for such a great length of time, and her shyness made it difficult for her to make new friends. She wished that Rilla had decided to take the course in Household Science, too, but Rilla wasn't really interested in a college course, and her mind was mostly filled with Ken.

The last week of the month was taken up with preparations for Mary Vance's marriage to Miller Douglas. Although they had originally planned to be married in the fall, Mary had decided to move the wedding to August so that Una could be her maid of honor. Mary was disappointed that Faith would not be home yet, but she had told Una that she "had her heart set on having her as maid of honor," and that Miller "had _his _heart set on being married before Christmas," so they wouldn't wait any longer.

The wedding was to be a rather quiet affair, held at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Marshall Elliot, with only the Blythes, Merediths, and a few of Miller's relations in attendance. Mrs. Alec Davis was not expected to be among them, as everyone in the Glen knew that she thought Miller was throwing himself away.

Una awoke at dawn on the day of the wedding and slipped out of bed and crept over to her window. She thought she could see a light coming from the boys' room at Ingleside and she remembered having heard Jem tell Jerry that neither he nor Walter or Shirley was sleeping very well. She could hear the hushed voices of her own brothers coming from the room next door. This morning they were talking about what they hoped to accomplish at Redmond, but she had heard them speaking of the war on other mornings just like this one. She also heard them when they cried out in the night; sometimes she went in to try to comfort them, but sometimes she stayed in her room and let them take care of each other.

Una climbed back into bed and pulled the covers up to her chin. Hearing Jerry and Carl's conversation had reminded her that she would be leaving for Redmond in two days. She would be staying in a boarding house near the one where Jerry and Carl would be boarding, and she was thankful for that, at least. When she wasn't dreading being away from her family and home and friends in the Glen, she found that she was looking forward to learning new things. After all, she had made her decision to study Household Science because she wanted to do her part to help with the building of the "new world."

* * *

"I declare, Una, that shade of pink just suits you," said Mary, glancing over her shoulder at Una's dress as Una helped her get into her wedding dress.

"Thank you, Mary. The dressmaker in Charlottetown told me that it made me look too pale."

"Oh, you shouldn't pay her any mind," said Mary indignantly. "She told me that I shouldn't wear a white wedding dress because my hair is so light and my eyes look so white, and she tried to talk me in to wearing a navy blue dress instead, but I told her that I intended to wear white just like every other _young_ bride. I think she's only jealous of all the young girls she makes dresses for."

"She is an excellent seamstress, though," Una replied. "Father and Rosemary insisted that I have her make nearly my entire wardrobe for Redmond, and it was nice to have someone else make my clothes for a change. There now, I have all the buttons fastened."

"Isn't this nice, Una? My, I never dreamed that one day I'd wear a dress as elegant as this one."

"It's lovely, Mary," answered Una. Mary's dress _was_ a dream of silk and lace, with such intrinsic detail in the lace. Una suddenly thought of her mother's old grey wedding dress which was now hanging in her closet back at the old manse. Years ago, soon after Rosemary had married her father and moved to the manse, she had discovered how much Una loved her mother's dress, and she had asked Una's father to give Una the dress. He had readily agreed, and they had moved the dress from the spare room closet to Una's closet. Every once in awhile, Una went to the closet to touch the dress and feel close to her mother just as she had when she was a child. Now she wondered if she would ever wear a wedding dress of her own.

"Una?" Mary's voice brought Una back to the present. "Could you drape my veil now?"

"Of course, Mary, I'm sorry." She lifted Mary's filmy white veil off the bed and placed it on Mary's head. Then she walked around to stand in front of Mary and admire the results of their work. "Oh, Mary, you look lovely," she said.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door and then they heard Carl's voice. "Are you ladies ready?" he asked. "All the guests are here now and ready for the wedding to begin." Miller had asked Carl to be his best man since they spent so much time together on their journey home from Europe. Carl had cheerfully told his family that he thought Miller had asked him to be the best man since they were the two men from the Glen who had come home missing something.

"Yes, we're ready," said Mary, picking up her bouquet of pink and white roses from the bed.

Una picked up her own matching bouquet and glanced in Mary's mirror one final time to make sure that her hair was neatly in place, and then she followed Mary out of the door and into the old hall. Mr. Elliot was standing in the hall with Carl, but Miller had already gone downstairs to the parlour, where the wedding was to be held. Una had always liked Mr. Elliot, and now he was smiling down at her and Mary as they walked towards him. Somehow his smile helped Una to choke down the sudden nervousness that had come over her as she thought about walking into that parlour with all those people looking at her. Of course, most of them would be people that she knew and knew well, but she had still dreaded having all their eyes on her.

Mary took Mr. Elliot's arm and Una took Carl's, and they went silently down the stairs and into the parlour, with Carl and Una leading the way.

Una kept her eyes focused on Mary and Miller for most of the ceremony, and only ventured to look out into the small crowd of guests a few times. When she did, she found herself looking straight in the direction of Walter Blythe. His grey eyes seemed to be fixed in her direction as well. She felt the color rising to her cheeks and hoped that neither Walter nor anyone else would notice. She was thankful when her father pronounced Miller and Mary husband and wife, and soon she was once again taking Carl's arm for the recessional.

The wedding supper was a festive, noisy affair even though the number of guests was relatively small, since they were mostly crowded into Miss Cornelia's dining room. Una wandered into the kitchen to try to help Miss Cornelia, Rosemary, and Mrs. Blythe, but all three of them told her to go back into the dining room and enjoy herself. She walked back into the room and saw Rilla motioning for her to come and take the seat beside her.

"You look lovely, Una," said Rilla when Una was seated.

"Thank you," said Una quietly. "Pink is one of my favorite colors, but I think this dress would look much better on Faith."

"I can't wear pink at all," Rilla lamented. Then, changing the subject, she said, "It certainly will be lonesome when all of you leave for Redmond next week. I'll be all alone at Ingleside once again, without even Jims or you to keep me company."

"You could always come along with me and study Household Science, too," Una ventured. "I'll be lonely in Kingsport as well."

Rilla shook her head. "I wish I was interested in a college course, but you know I never have been. And you won't be lonely in Kingsport. You'll have all of the boys to keep you company, and you'll make lots of new friends."

"I hope you are right, Rilla."

"I am," said Rilla, with a sly smile.

They heard laughter from across the room and looked in the direction of the corner where Walter, Jem, and Jerry were talking and laughing. Actually, Jem and Jerry were doing the talking and laughing, and Walter was listening. He did appear to be interested in what they were saying, though, and Una was relieved to see that he did not seem quite as despondent as he had in the past few weeks. A smile even came to his lips once or twice. Una heard Rilla give a little sigh, and she knew that Rilla was still concerned about Walter. Suddenly Walter turned and looked in Una's direction. For a moment they locked eyes and Walter smiled again. She returned his smile, blushing furiously all the while and hoping that she wasn't giving away her secret for the whole room to see. Then Jerry said something to Walter and he turned to face him, and Una turned her attention back to Rilla, hoping all the time that Rilla had not noticed. She knew that Rilla had to know her secret already, but she still did not want to confide in her about her feelings for Walter.

"Would you like to spend tonight at Ingleside with me, Una?" Rilla asked suddenly. "Nan and Di will be there of course, and it will be just like old times. We can stay up most of the night and talk about the wedding and anything else that comes into our heads. It will be the last talk we'll be able to have for a long while."

Rilla sounded so wistful that Una couldn't refuse her invitation. Besides, it would be nice to stay all night with her friends like she used to do in those innocent, carefree days of yore. "Why, yes, Rilla, that does sound like fun," she said. "Thank you."

* * *

As the supper was coming to an end, Mary called Una to come with her up to her room to gather her suitcase for her honeymoon. Once inside the room, Mary enveloped Una in a bear's hug.

"Una, you've always been one of my dearest friends, and I have you to thank for Cornelia's taking me in. I also have you to thank for my being married to Miller today. If you hadn't coaxed Cornelia into letting me live with her, there's no telling where I would've ended up, but I don't think I would have met him."

"Don't thank me, Mary, thank God," Una replied, returning Mary's hug, albeit somewhat more gently.

"Well, of course I thank Him, too," protested Mary. She released Una, and glancing at the clock on her bedside table, said, "Laws, but we'd better hurry. We have to catch the train in twenty minutes and Miller is so impatient. You know how men are." She retrieved her suitcase from the corner beside her closet and then hurried back downstairs with Una close behind.

Una stood back as the rest of the guests poured into the yard to prepare to see the happy couple off. Mary helped Miller climb into Norman Douglas' buggy, and then, as if the thought had just occurred to her, she turned and tossed her bouquet, which hit Mr. Elliot squarely in the head before falling to the ground. Mr. Elliot picked it up and handed it to Rilla Blythe, who was standing next to him. Mary, still laughing over her bouquet's fate, barely had time to get situated in the buggy before Norman drove off with the speed that he was famed for. Ellen Douglas was always telling her sister that every time she and Norman went anywhere together she expected to be thrown from the buggy at any moment.

Una turned and went back inside the house, feeling the emptiness that seems to be left with the guests at a wedding once the bride and groom have made their departure. She was feeling tired and almost wished that she hadn't promised to stay all night with the Blythe girls at Ingleside.


End file.
